


Piano Man

by painttheworldinpastels



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Classical Music, M/M, Piano, Pre-debut, happy birthday chenle!!!, more platonic than not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:40:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21513157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/painttheworldinpastels/pseuds/painttheworldinpastels
Summary: Sing us a song, you're the piano manSing us a song tonightWell, we're all in the mood for a melodyAnd you got us feeling alright
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan & Zhong Chen Le, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Zhong Chen Le
Comments: 11
Kudos: 40





	Piano Man

**Author's Note:**

> He says, "Son, can you play me a memory  
> I'm not really sure how it goes  
> But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete  
> When I wore a younger man's clothes"
> 
> [Piano Man by Billy Joel (Glee Season 5 version)](https://open.spotify.com/track/31QrBRUfmyFDXIMocP6XON?si=KJwpfA1qStWm-_8i4oiTpg)

There's 866 kilometers between Shanghai and Seoul. That's 866000 meters, or 538 miles. 34094488 inches away from home. Chenle sighs as the pilot announces their landing and he settles back into his chair. He looks out the window, desperately trying to get a glimpse of anything familiar, but all he sees is a darkening sky and the glittering lights of a foreign city.

Night has fallen when he finds his way out of the airport. He waits nervously for someone to approach him, biting his nails to focus on something other than the bustling sounds and sights of an unknown land. The newness of it all both excites and scares Chenle, and he wouldn't dare make a move without someone to guide him around until he can manage on his own.

He doesn't notice the tall man in a suit until he bows slightly in front of him. "Good evening, Master Zhong," the man says in Mandarin. "I'm Mr. Wang, and I will be taking care of you for the time being." There's wrinkles on his forehead and his eyes are kind as he reaches out to Chenle for a handshake, and Chenle grips his hand tightly. "Hi."

"Hi," Mr. Wang smiles widely. "Shall we?" He makes a sweeping gesture towards a car parked several feet away, and Chenle nods gingerly.

"Where are we going?" He asks as he buckles himself in the backseat.

Mr. Wang starts the engine. "We'll be staying at a hotel near the SM building until Mrs. Zhong can arrange proper accommodation." He looks at the rearview mirror at Chenle as the car starts to move. "Are you hungry? Would you like to eat before we get to the hotel?"

Chenle bites his lip, glancing at the shops and establishments blurring past them. They look very inviting, but Chenle doesn't have the energy to start his adventure just yet. "It's fine, can we eat at the hotel instead?"

"Of course." Mr. Wang turns on the radio and a Korean pop song fills the car, female voices singing solemnly.

"They're from SM," Mr. Wang informs him once the songs ends. "Have you heard of the group Red Velvet? This is their latest song, 'One of These Nights'."

Chenle nods when their eyes meet in the mirror. Ah yes, Chenle remembers them, a five-member girl group that debuted two years ago. One member is foreign, Canadian if Chenle's not mistaken.

(Like his parents, he did very thorough research on the company and their artists. Currently, his favorite music-wise is EXO.)

Chenle feels uneasiness creep up to him when they pull up to the hotel. He takes a big breath of air when they're all set in a spacious room, and he sits down with a heavy thud on a bed facing a large window. The Seoul night view is pretty, packed with colors and promises of fun, but Chenle can't help but miss Shanghai. The cityscapes look somewhat similar, and maybe if he tries hard enough he can imagine that he never left at all.

Out of the corner of his eye he sees Mr. Wang looking at him. There's that smile on his face again, warm and comforting. It gathers a smile from Chenle as well, and he pats his bed to signal Mr. Wang to take a seat.

Mr. Wang makes his way to the bed and Chenle scooches over to give him space to sit down. He pats Chenle's shoulder as they stare out the window, greeted by the heart of Seoul. "Welcome to Korea, Sir Chenle."

***

Chenle arrives to the company building accompanied by Mr. Wang, who is currently the only person Chenle trusts in this strange land. His mother will come to Korea in a couple of days, but for now it's just Chenle and Wáng xiānshēng against the world.

He braces himself before stepping into the lobby, looking around for someone to point them to the practice rooms. He knows what he came here to do and what he wants to achieve, and he intends on seeing all his goals be realized. He pastes a bright smile onto his face as he goes through cursory introductions, and soon enough they're standing in front of the training rooms. There's clamor so loud that it rings down the hallways and Chenle stands rooted before the door their guide disappeared to, almost afraid. It takes another friendly smile from Mr. Wang and his hand on the small of Chenle's back before Chenle can force himself to follow the man inside.

The first thing Chenle notices is a grand piano situated in the corner, and his fingers twitch. It's a beauty; not as gorgeous as his Bluthner back home but it's a Steinway & Sons so it's top class. It probably sounds just as great, Chenle thinks as he pries his eyes away. Another time then, when he wasn't standing front and center to uncharted territory.

The second thing he notices is the amount of people with them. Around ten, maybe fifteen boys are scattered around the room, some engaged in chatter while others are goofing around. There's a few of them who send curious glances Chenle's way, but other than that they don't do anything that makes Chenle too anxious. Yet.

The man claps his hands and everyone looks in their direction. Chenle squirms under the attention but he makes sure that he doesn't look as spooked as he feels, giving them a small smile and a timid wave. They smile back at him, and some of them even throw in enthusiastic waves of their own.

Mr. Wang bends down to Chenle's height and translates what the man says to the occupants of the room. "We have a new trainee today," Mr. Wang whispers. "Please take good care of him."

Chenle clears his throat and introduces himself using what little Korean he knows. "I'm Zhong Chenle," he says cautiously. "It's nice to meet all of you! I hope we all get along well."

A boy starts bounding up to him, but he's pulled back by a taller boy with a disapproving look on his face. The taller boy speaks sternly to the shorter one, and Chenle shrinks into Mr. Wang's side. Mr. Wang lets out a soft chuckle. "That one," Mr. Wang mumbles, pointing to the taller boy, "is telling the other one to calm down. It looks like the boy was about to give you a big hug, and they don't want to shock you."

The shorter boy is pouting excessively now, and Chenle presses his lips together in thought. Tugging on Mr. Wang's sleeve, he asks, "How do I say 'I like hugs'?"

Mr. Wang grins. "Naneun poong-eul joh-ahae."

Chenle repeats this loudly, staring directly at the boy who had been approaching him earlier. The boy beams and breaks out of the taller one's grip, approaching Chenle with a spring in his step and engulfing him in a bear hug. Chenle can barely understand what the other is saying but he makes out the words cute and small.

"I'm Jaemin," the boy points to himself when he's squished Chenle to his heart's delight. He says something else that Chenle doesn't catch, but Mr. Wang translates it back to him. "He's asking if you want to go meet the others. Do you want to do that while I talk to the instructor?"

Chenle nods, and Jaemin takes that as a sign of agreement. He gently tugs Chenle's arm and they're walking over to a cluster of boys around their age. Jaemin introduces Chenle to them with sweeping gestures, and he hears the words new, friend, and love thrown around every now and then. They all coo at him and tell him names he's too shy to ask them to repeat. Just when he's starting to get antsy, his savior arrives in the form of another tall boy who introduces himself to Chenle in perfect Mandarin.

Chenle can practically see a ray of light shining down on the Kun fellow, and he almost weeps with joy upon hearing his mother tongue used by someone other than Mr. Wang. Kun slowly leads him away from the group, but not before Jaemin makes Kun promise something.

"Jaemin made me swear to return you to them later," Kun tells him. "That might take a while though."

"That's alright. Are there more Chinese trainees here?"

"Yes! And there's quite a number of Chinese trainees that have already debuted, so don't worry about that, okay?"

"Okay." Chenle smiles as Kun brings him to another small group of people, all of whom speak Mandarin. Chenle has never known true happiness until this moment.

Others come up to greet Chenle while he's with his new Kun-ge and Sicheng-ge—some people his age and older, some who speak basic Mandarin, and others who don't but attempt to make conversation anyway, using exaggerated gestures or speaking selected words in English or the few Chinese words they know. Chenle appreciates the effort.

He appreciates the effort, but he stays close by the Chinese-speaking ones. Just in case.

The door to the practice room opens and a boy around Chenle's age or a bit older enters, all shaggy dark hair and lanky limbs. He glances around the area and immediately spots Chenle, who must look out of place.

"Donghyuck, you're late," the person Mr. Wang is talking to frowns, but this Donghyuck doesn't give him any mind. He slinks his way to a corner of the room, towards the grand piano.

Chenle watches as the boy sits down before the piano. The man with Mr. Wang sighs but he doesn't stop 'Donghyuck', nudging Mr. Wang to look and observe the boy's next move.

The room is so silent that Chenle can hear his heartbeat pound in his ears. One heartbeat, two heartbeats, three heartbeats, and then the room explodes with melody.

Fingers dance across the piano keys, notes forming chords forming music. The boy plays a Chinese folk song, one that is easy to learn, one that is usually taught as a beginner's lesson. One that is popular in every part of Chenle's country. One that gives him a sense of familiarity and makes him feel like home isn't an ocean or two away.

"Donghyuck-ah," the boy who introduced himself as Mark calls out softly to the boy still on the piano bench. "What are you doing?"

Donghyuck plays, and he plays, and he plays. The piece itself is short but the same tune repeats over and over in a continuous cycle, filling the atmosphere with jasmine flowers. Chenle feels transported to another time, another place, wherein his mother played this song for him every night, the exquisite rose gold piano churning out a rhythm filled with depth and love, so much love.

After what seems like forever, enveloped in comfort and warmth, the melody fades away. Donghyuck stands and turns around to face them, to face Chenle. They latch onto each other's gazes and Donghyuck's eyes bore into him. Chenle feels exposed, all of his emotions laid out for Donghyuck to see and do as he will with it, but Donghyuck merely smiles at him tenderly, as tenderly as Donghyuck's melody held him earlier.

Chenle doesn't understand their language yet, but he understands the look this Donghyuck person gives him. It holds a message, one that says not to fret, not to fear. Take this melody and have courage, Donghyuck's eyes say, eyes that are a lovely shade of brown and sympathy. Donghyuck gives him a little bow before turning around and leaving the room, head held high.

Everyone's too dazed to speak, the notes of Mo Li Hua still lingering in the air. And in this moment, all of Chenle's worries dissipate. With one glance at the abandoned grand piano, he begins to think that everything will be alright.

**Author's Note:**

> Based on Chenle's first impression of Haechan, a pre-debut account wherein Chenle was talking to the older Chinese members and Haechan entered the room, played the piano, and left
> 
> Disclaimer: when I googled the distance between Shanghai and Seoul the first to pop up was 866 km but information varies among sources
> 
> The piece Donghyuck plays is Mo Li Hua, or Jasmine Flower in English! I'd link a rendition here but there's so many amazing versions out there and it's more fun to discover them for yourself uwu
> 
> twt: [@whatsavotingacc](https://twitter.com/whatsavotingacc?s=09)


End file.
